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Erlanger Health System
Chattanooga, Tennessee

Registered Respiratory Therapist-North Campus-PRN

Respiratory TherapistPer Diem

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting

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Posted 43m ago · Verified live

Job Description

Reports to the team leader. Chief objective of this position is that the employee must be able to demonstrate knowledge and skill in the area of Respiratory Care with the emphasis in critical care.

Education

Required: Associate of Science Degree in Respiratory Care, or graduate of an NBRC and AMA approved Respiratory Program meeting requirement for eligibility of the NBRC Exam.

Preferred: Bachelor's Degree in Respiratory Therapy or related field.

Experience

Required: One (1) year of clinical experience as a respiratory therapist. Clinical training from an accredited Respiratory Care program is acceptable.

Preferred: Two-Three (2-3) years of critical care experience as a registered therapist.

Position Requirement(s): License/Certification/Registration

Required

(RRT) Registered Respiratory Therapist by the National Board of Respiratory Care. State approved license to practice respiratory care in the state of Tennessee, ABG endorsed. AHA BLS-Healthcare Provider (CPR) certification completed prior to going to unit/department and maintained going forward.

Preferred: Current ACLS/PALS/NRP certification

Department Position Summary

Must have an understanding of the principles and practices of respiratory therapy. Computer, time management, analytical and communication skills are a must. Proficient with all equipment utilized in the respiratory care department. Critical Care and general floor care assessment and functional skills are a must.

Must be advanced in critical care and general floor care for the patient population served: school/age to older adults. Therapists will be a part of the CQI team, in data collection for improvements. Must be capable of making recommendations for the most effective utilization of technology available.

Correct and adjust respiratory care and equipment in a timely manner, when needed. Assume preceptor responsibilities for new employees and those peers in advance training as directed within the area of specialty.

Due to this facilities role as a teaching hospital, therapists must also be willing to provide assistance with the clinical training of students from Respiratory Programs that we support.

Assist with clinical based research projects that are related to defining appropriateness and efficiency of respiratory care delivered. Airway management and CPR are required. Organizational and communicational skills are a must in patient care areas.

Key Responsibilities

Provide respiratory therapy and patient assessment in critical care and general floor settings, manage airways, perform CPR, and ensure respiratory equipment is correctly adjusted and used. Contribute to quality improvement data collection, recommend effective use of technology, precept staff, support student clinical training, and assist with respiratory care research.

Requirements

Requires an associate degree in respiratory care or an eligible graduate of an approved respiratory program, at least one year of clinical experience (including qualifying clinical training), and current RRT registration, Tennessee respiratory care licensure with ABG endorsement, and AHA BLS certification. Preferred qualifications include a bachelor's degree, two to three years of critical care experience, and current ACLS, PALS, or NRP certification.

Qualifications

Education
Bachelor degree

Certifications

ACLS (preferred)PALS (preferred)NRP (preferred)

Key Skills

Respiratory Equipment ProficiencyAnalytical SkillsPreceptingClinical Research

Respiratory Therapy Career Context

Of the 48 active Respiratory Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 2% are remote, 71% have no call, 52% require no weekends.

Respiratory Therapy pay on WeekdayDoc is up 10.1% vs. the prior quarter (through Aug 2026).

The cost-of-living index for Tennessee is 91.9 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 58.6% of Tennessee clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Location & Logistics

Tennessee has no state income tax, which can significantly increase take-home pay compared to high-tax states.

Top Respiratory Therapist Jobs

22 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution17 jobs

3
<$100k
9
$100k-115k
2
$115k-130k
3
$130k-145k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks14 jobs

401k / retirement match
64%
CME allowance
29%
Sign-on bonus
21%
Relocation assistance
14%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Respiratory Therapist

Sutter Health · Sacramento, California

$47.68-$66.75/hr
#2

Respiratory Therapist

Northwell · Terryville, New York

$80k-$136k
#3

RRT - Registered Respiratory Therapist

$58-$63/hr
#4

Respiratory Therapist

$35.94-$55.43/hr
+ 20 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 3.0this job 3.0
Better work-life than 50% of Respiratory Therapy listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 3,657 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Living in Chattanooga

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$327k
Typical market rent
$1,513/mo
Residents’ average commute
19 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
91.5
State income tax
None
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · Chattanooga, TN-GA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.